Dean Henderson is facing an additional three-month lay-off that could have ramifications on his future at Manchester United.
It is understood Henderson, 26, will require an operation on a thigh tear that is expected to keep him out until August.
When Henderson was assessed in January, scans revealed he had suffered a grade two tear in his thigh and he was expected to be unavailable for between four and six weeks.
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Henderson has already been sidelined for more than three months on loan at Nottingham Forest and his possible return date may affect his chances of a departure in the summer, with the transfer window due to close on September 1.
United are in protracted discussions with David de Gea over a new contract and Henderson expressed resentment over how he was treated by former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Solskjaer had promised to install Henderson as the No.1 ahead of the 2021-22 campaign but reneged on that pledge after Henderson contracted Covid-19. Henderson played only three times last season.
Erik ten Hag held a video call with Henderson in January to gauge the possibility of recalling him from Forest after Martin Dubravka returned to Newcastle but Henderson had no intention of providing back-up to De Gea.
United refused to grant Henderson permission to play against them in the League Cup semi-finals, which he eventually sat out through injury. Henderson was also blocked from joining Watford on loan on deadline day in January last year.
Henderson is under contract until 2025, with the option of an additional year, and is one of the squad players with high resale value ahead of a summer where United are planning for more outgoings than incomings.
Forest signed Henderson on a season-long loan on July 3 after Newcastle passed on Henderson and opted to sign the cut-price Nick Pope for £10million from Burnley.
Henderson, who joined the United academy aged 14 in 2011, made his first-team debut in September 2020 and has played 29 times for the club.
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